“We’re satisfied with how the season’s final weekend unfolded. We haven’t had much testing with either the GTX or GT2, and like everyone else, we struggled with grip issues on the worn-out asphalt of the Masaryk Circuit,” reflected team executive Tomáš Fanta on the challenges faced.
RTR Projects entered the weekend with added complexity, forming a fusion team with Slovak outfit Carin Racing. This team has fielded a KTM X-Bow GTX throughout the ESET Cup season, with Viktor Mráz claiming the endurance title. Mráz and Homola, who shared driving duties for most of the season, switched to the KTM X-Bow GT2 for this round, aiming to challenge the quickest cars on the grid, including the GT3s—a task they largely succeeded in.
Bringing the two teams together in such a short timeframe was a significant challenge. “The Slovak team is used to a particular way of working, which we had to adapt to. It required a different approach, but everything eventually fell into place,” explained Tomáš Fanta.
Homola started the endurance race strongly. “I managed to overtake Miro Konopka in the Ligier LMP3 right after the start and kept him behind me for several laps,” said Homola, who is also competing for his second title in the TCR Eastern Europe series this year.
Despite the daunting task of keeping Konopka’s faster car at bay, Homola performed admirably, positioning the team for a potential GTX victory while holding off much of the GT3 field. In the second stint, Mráz briefly slipped to second in the GTX class after a driving error but maintained that position until the finish. Homola praised his teammate’s effort. “It was Viktor’s first race with the GT2, and tyre degradation was a major issue. This entire weekend was a learning curve for him. The GT2 has more power than the GTX, and it demands a different approach when cornering or applying throttle. This race was essentially a test for us ahead of future events with this car,” Homola explained.
Second place for Rokos
The pairing of Petr Lisa and Ondřej Rokos also delivered a strong performance, finishing third in the endurance race. For Rokos, it marked his second podium finish of the season.
“It’s an amazing feeling,” said Rokos, who only began racing with RTR Projects in August at the Autodrom Most. “Last year, when I came to support Péťa at a race, I never imagined that within a year I’d be racing myself and standing on the podium twice in three races. It’s a lot to take in,” he said, overjoyed.
As usual, Rokos took the wheel during the second stint, while Lisa started the race. Early in the event, a safety car was deployed, during which Lisa experienced a technical issue that required him to stop and restart the X-Bow. Once racing resumed, Lisa executed an impressive comeback, handing the car over to Rokos in an excellent position, with well-preserved tyres—a critical factor on the Brno circuit.
“It was challenging,” admitted Rokos. “I focused on managing the tyres, but towards the end, their condition made things very difficult. I want to thank everyone who prepared me for this race, especially the team. The car was in perfect condition, and Péťa provided exceptional support, both physically and mentally,” he added.
Lisa also had high praise for Rokos. “From my perspective, Ondřej delivered a flawless performance. His lap times were consistent, he avoided collisions, and he stayed on track. He’s improving all the time, and this third-place finish is well deserved,” Lisa remarked.
On Sunday, Rokos took part in his first-ever sprint race—a 25-minute format where he experienced a rolling start for the first time in his career. However, he had to start from the pit lane, trailing the field. Despite this setback, Rokos staged an impressive comeback, ultimately finishing fourth in the GTX class.
The weekend’s results marked a strong conclusion to the season for RTR Projects, setting a promising tone for future campaigns.
